Shoe factory workers block Lakshmipur road for back pay, Eid allowance

The owners have agreed to pay 25 percent of the Eid allowance with the wages for the month of February before the festival

The workers of a shoe factory in Lakshmipur have demonstrated for back pay and Eid-ul-Fitr allowance.

They blocked Dhaka-Raipur regional road in the Rakhalia Bazar area for four hours until Saturday noon before being dispersed by police.

The blockade caused immense suffering for travellers and truckers.

Sheikh Sadi, superintendent of police, said the local authorities assured the Bengal Shoe Industries workers of conveying their demands to the factory owners after the protests began at 8am.

But the protesters refused to end their blockade until a written agreement with the owners.

Later, a deal was signed in the presence of local representatives and administration officials.

According to the deal, the factory would pay 25 percent of the Eid allowance and the wage for the month of February before the festival. The rest of the allowance would be paid with the wage of March after Eid.

But a section of the protesters refused the agreement and tried to block the road again.

They threw brickbats at police when the law enforcers baton-charged them, said SP Sadi.

Police managed to clear the road afterwards and bring the situation to normalcy, he said.